The Writer's Block
by DarkWriter00
Summary: No one would have guessed it. The Ellimist is a fan of my writing in general, and sends the Animorphs and Ax to help inspire me to continue writing on a certain fic. Weird story thing
1. The Weirdness Begins

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A/N: Hey all… I decided to write out my writer's block. I just started to write this and found it interesting enough to put it here, on Hopefully I'll inspire myself to write something for a chapter 10 for "The Superb". Plus, in reading the finished chapters, I laughed and chuckled a few times. You may find this kinda funny too. It's semi-funny and semi-serious at the same time. An unusual take for me to get rid of writer's block. Rated T due to some brief language. I have a bit of a foul mouth when expressing anger.

The Writer's Block

Chapter 1: The Weirdness Begins

What's up? I'm Marianne. Wha? You want my last name? Why? What's the point?

Sure, there's no Yeerks or evil aliens after me. I just want to get on with what happened. Heh heh, it's a really weird story…

Not too long ago, I discovered I had somewhat of a writer's block. I haven't even started a chapter 10 for the Animorphs story I had started to rewrite in after not touching it for a few years. "The Superb" was the title. It still is. Yeah, you heard me. I'm a writer. I love to write. I even plan to become an actual author one day.

So, I was in the computer room downstairs, on the internet. I was about to just write something, anything, when I heard a bunch of muffled voices upstairs, along with other noise. I had to go see what was going on, so I went upstairs, after signing off the internet. I left the computer on though.

My feet pounded up the two sets of stairs as fast as I could make them go. "Ow," I heard a voice say. Sounded like some kid that was in a room down the hall. Another voice spoke up a split second later. "Hey, ow! Get off Ax! You're standing on my leg!" A moment of silence as I cautiously crept by the wall. "Marco, are you okay?" asked a girl's voice. "I'm swell. I love the feeling of ten pound hooves on me," the other voice said in sarcasm. I stopped. The names sounded all too familiar. Ax, Marco… Nuh-uh. No way. It wasn't possible.

"Is everyone okay," yet another kid's voice asked. That had to be Jake. Oh God, I couldn't believe I'm accepting the fact that THE ANIMOPRHS were here. In _my_ house! It was a good thing my parents were at work. They're both teachers. Mom being a substitute and Dad as a regular high school teacher.

One by one, most of them said yes. Their voices were coming from the bookroom! It's a small room to the right of my bedroom. It's used as mostly an attic. My bookshelf is in there, and I have a lot of books. Most I'm so lazy to pick up and read. So that's why I call it the bookroom.

I know Tobias and Ax had to be there too, but I guess their thought speech could only be heard by Jake, Marco, Cassie, and Rachel. I was up against the wall, feeling a bit freaked out. Who wouldn't be! I only thought the kids were just fiction that seemed real enough.

Finally, I stepped into the doorway, and knowing that the bookroom was small, it was full of human kids, one Andalite, and one red tailed hawk. Jake, Cassie, Marco, Ax, and Rachel were just getting up from off the floor. It was Tobias that noticed me first, as soon as I poked my head into the door way. He was fluttering around the room. A few of his feathers came off. His sudden movements scared me as I stumbled back. I felt my back hit the wall. The tall brown haired boy, Jake, gave the others an order. "Quick, grab her before she gets away! She could be a Controller!" Ow, my back… That was smart of me to jerk backwards like that.

It all happened too fast. Soon, I felt something hit the side of my head. WHAM! That's all I could remember before I blacked out.


	2. Oh My God, I'm a Hostage!

Chapter 2: Oh My God, I'm a Hostage!

I had this huge headache all of a sudden as I felt myself coming around. I moaned as I felt the right side of my head throb. I could only guess what must've happened. Ax struck me on the side of the head with his tail blade. Great. I must have given the group quite a scare. Hey, they startled me too!

I squeezed my teeth together to fight down the pain, but that wasn't working at all. My eyes were slowly coming back into focus. "So, what do we do? She's waking up, Jake," I heard a girl's voice ask. I soon found where the voice was coming from. There was a young black girl in overalls. Cassie. At least she didn't reek of any animal poop. Or else my cats would be all over her. No, wait. Cassie was petting one of my cats right now as I saw her speak, but Angel escaped, running to hide from the Andalite possibly. Cassie had been trying to calm my pets down.

I tried to get up, and soon discovered that I couldn't move very well. I had been tied up. And whoever did it was very good. I see that the Animorphs found the long phone cord that my parents and I didn't have to use anymore, now that we had two phones, including the small black one in the computer room. They tied my arms and legs together with the long phone cord, and dragged me out to the living room. Cassie was sitting on one of the couches as I laid across the carpet in between. "What…the hell…is going on," I said through the head pain as I saw Jake come into view.

Clever. Very clever. They were overly cautious of my appearance, struck me down when they had the chance, and then they had to find something to tie me up before I could get up again. Man, they thought I kidnapped them or something, right? In a flash, a few possible scenarios played in my head…

"What's your Yeerk name," Jake demanded of me, cutting me off from thinking too much. I tried to sit up, but hell, that was no good. Damn, I still couldn't believe this. The Animorphs and Ax were holding me hostage in my own living room. _Am I dreaming?_ "Speak up. What's your rank," Jake said. I had to tell him I wasn't a Controller. _What if they don't believe me?_ I narrowed my eyes. "I don't have a Yeerk in my head, alright," I said, aggravated. I wasn't happy. No one would be happy to be tied up and finding out that a kid had unleashed his Andalite friend to knock somebody like me unconscious.

"I'm a normal human being, slug free, just like you," I said, grumpy as I could be. "That's _bull_," argued someone else. Another girl's voice as I felt a foot kick at my back, which still stung a bit from hitting one of my home's walls. Okay, I couldn't turn my head without it hurting, but I knew who was speaking now. Rachel. Had to be. "Oh, you're good," she said, her face coming into view. She was sneering at me. "I don't know how you brought us here, but you're good." "Hey, hold up," Marco said, coming into my view as well. "Shouldn't there be like a dozen Hork-Bajir and Visser Three around? This is nuts. There's _no way_ that a lone Human-Controller could sneak up behind our backs and bring us here." "Wherever here is," Cassie added grimly.

"Look," I said. "I don't know what's going on, but I sure as _hell_ didn't kidnap anyone. If this is some kind of sick prank, it's not funny! I don't know why you guys are even here, in _my house_." "…She doesn't even _sound_ like a Controller, man," Marco said to Jake. "Oh good. At least _somebody's_ on my side," I muttered. Jake was starting to consider, looking down on me. -(But, how to we know that she's telling the truth?)- Oh, man… I think I had just heard a thought speak voice in my head. The blue, four eyed head looking at me must have been him that was talking. Ax. "I _am_ telling the truth," I said, and inhaled a big gulp of air. Did they even know they were fictional? No, of course not. They certainly didn't know who I was.

"Alright," I said to my captors. _Oh man, what will my parents say…? Would my mom even believe me?_ "Untie me, Animorph crew, and I'll tell you what I know." "It could be a trick," Rachel yelled. "She just said 'Animorph'!" Cassie said in surprise. "The Yeerks don't know what that is." I sighed in deep annoyance as she went on, staring at me. "What if it's not a Yeerk trick?" -(Let's just untie her, alright?)- Another thought speak voice. Tobias. I looked around the best I could. Where was he? Oh, there. He was perched on one of the arms of the brown recliner chair.

-(If she tries to do anything, Ax will know what to do,)- Tobias finished. "I won't cause anybody trouble," I growled under my breath. Everyone looked to Jake, including me. He nodded, seriousness all over his features. Indeed, he had grown up so fast, according to what I read about in the books, and Jake's been one of my favorite characters, as well as some of the other Animorphs and other characters. And now, seeing Jake like this up close and personal? It was kinda freaky.

"Okay, we're going to untie you," Jake said, warily. He held up a finger, indicating the number one. "One wrong move…" He let that hang. "I wouldn't dream of it," I said, still mad as he, Rachel, and Marco began to surround me, kneeling. I watched as Marco began to untangle the cord around my legs. Ax stood by to keep an eye on me if I twitched the wrong way. Geez, I understand how they were feeling, but they're pretty paranoid for a bunch of kids in kicking Yeerk butt.

I was mad, and a tad bit scared at the same time. As soon as the last of the phone cord was off of me, I decided to not make any sudden movements. Slowly, I sat up. "…Are you the Ellimist," Jake asked. I narrowed my eyebrows and shook my head no. "No, Jake," I said, and began to tell them what I knew. "People, bird, and Andalite-" I felt Ax's tail blade touch my throat. _Shit…_ "You know what? If you're going to continue to be like that, I won't say anything. Not until all of you calm the fuck down." Yeah, I know. What I just said was rude, but I had a reason to be rude. They were holding me prisoner, in my own house.

I understood why Ax threatened to kill me. I know from what I've read, that when any human says "Andalite", that pretty much means he or she was a Controller. But I just wasn't going to take any hostile crap from any one of the group. If they wanted answers, they were going to have to approach me in a calm, civilized manner.


	3. Show and Tell

Chapter 3: Show and Tell

"Ax," Jake said firmly, and the young Andalite cadet pulled his tail back. "Thank you," I said, trying to calm down myself. "Mind if I sit on the couch," I asked as Jake, Cassie, and Rachel stepped aside. I slowly got up to my feet, in agonizing pain. My back was killing me, but my head felt much worse. I sat myself down on the couch closest to me as Jake asked the first two questions that I'm sure were on the group's minds. "Who, and what are you? How do you know who we are?" He took a seat, but left some space in between us.

Since they agreed to be decent around me, I decided to suck it up whenever I'd feel offended. I wasn't going to even try to push anyone's buttons. Unless they tried to push mine.

"My name is Marianne, and I'm human. Like most of you. Only, I can't acquire animal DNA and change shape like you guys can." I took a deep breath and blew out all the tension air I had. "You guys, are obviously not where you think you are." "Uh yeah. We kind of figured that," snapped Rachel. I continued, ignoring her. "You guys probably don't even share the same…reality as I do. Because here, there are no parasitic alien slugs looking for domination on Earth. No Hork-Bajir. No Andalites…"

I let them absorb it in. The looks on their faces? Shock, worry, anger. Rachel looked like she wanted to kill me. No surprise. "What? We're in some parallel dimension or something?" Marco asked. "Well, I'm not sure," I said. "I don't even know how you guys ended up here. I know about you guys, because I used to think…" I shrugged my shoulders in utter confusion in going onto my next statement. "I used to think you six were just fiction. Book series characters."

"WHAT!" most of the kids screamed. Ow, my poor ears… I don't understand, Ax said, and he didn't. No one around me did. I stood up. "I'll show you," I said, rubbing my sore right temple. _Ax, you're SO going to apologize to me once I'm through with the explaining…_ Remaining as calm as possible, but not anytime soon to stop feeling moody, I led them back to the bookroom. I had all the Animorphs series together, and they took up the whole bottom shelf. I began to pull some of the books out, passing them Rachel and the others. "I ordered them by the events that occurred. I have every single book. …Also a book about your TV show actors, but I don't know where it is right now." "Whoa, a TV show too?" Marco said, incredulous while reading the back of book number 5, The Predator. The first book in which he narrates.

"K.A. Applegate is the author of the series. You guys came from her imagination. She created you," I said, helping myself back up to my feet again. I bumped into Jake and nearly fell over. He caught me by the arm just in time. The bookroom was so small only up to two people could actually stand around in it comfortably. Jake, Marco, Rachel, and I were in the room. Everyone else stood in the hall. Tobias though, was perched on the wicker chair in the middle of the room, beside one of my keyboards that I like to jam on from time to time.

"Okay, let's take these back to the living room," I said, and everyone obliged. We didn't like being all crowded together in a small space. I could see that Marco had the first five books. From The Invasion to the Predator. Rachel was holding a bunch of the others. Including the first two Megamorphs. Jake was holding some of the special books. The Andalite Chronicles, The Hork-Bajir Chronicles, and Visser.

I was in my previous seat, quiet and looked as they were looking through some of the books. Marco was reading through the first chapter of The Invasion, it seemed. He read some of it aloud. I was nervous. What if I made a mistake? They wouldn't blame me or anything, right?

-(So, that is what actually happened to Elfangor,)- Ax wondered, his main eyes open in sadness, his stalk eyes drooping downward. My heart sank to my stomach in sympathy for him. Ax has cared so deeply for his brother. "You read all these?" asked Rachel. I nodded and said, "Yup…" "Does anyone have the last book," Cassie asked. Without hesitation, she went to go get it. I couldn't stop her. Now that I found out these characters came to life all of a sudden, it would've been cruel of me to do so. These guys were as real as I was. I realized that.

Soon, she came back out with book 54, The Beginning. I didn't know, back in their reality, if the Yeerks were still doing this in secret, or in an open war. I soon found that out as Cassie blurted as she skimmed through the pages. "Oh my God… This actually goes into open war." Then, her face became one a lighter shade of brown. She looked like she'd been slapped. "Cassie?" Jake rushed to her side. She tried to avoid what I thought that she found out.

"Jake…I don't think you want to know," Cassie said, in a soft scared voice. Her voice was just shrinking and withering away as I suddenly felt sick inside.


	4. The Ellimist Knows About My Problem

Chapter 4: The Ellimist Knows About My Writing Problem

"What is it?" Rachel demanded as Jake took book 54 from Cassie's hands. I got up, not wanting to be in the same room. -(Where do you think you're going?)- Tobias asked, suspiciously. I frowned and looked down to the floor. "I was thinking of giving you guys some space…" My shoulders sagged. "It's not like everyday to have situations like this happen." Drifting my eyes to Jake, he looked up, stared at Rachel. His cousin soon snatched the book from him, and started to look for what spooked him. Oh yeah, I felt like leaving them be. I had chills going up my spine right now.

I went downstairs, slipping on my sandals as I heard Ax's thought speak voice in my head. -(Read that part out loud, Rachel.)- I decided to go outside. Somehow I just didn't want to be in there. I felt like I did the wrong thing. Maybe I should have just lied to them or something. _No, that would have been much worse. I could've gotten all tied up again._

But who was to say that would actually happen now? Would they ever return to their reality? What the hell was I going to do? What was going on? None of us knew. "Okay, God," I said, turning to the one above whenever I found myself in trouble. "Help me out here. What's going on," I hissed, feeling the adrenaline pump through my entire body. I was tense and afraid. What now?

YOU'RE IN NEED OF HELP. A voice, coming from everywhere at once had spoken to me. _God?_ No, that couldn't be right. There could be only one other possibility… An old, old man in robes with elfish ears had appeared before my very eyes. "Ellimist?" I quirked, confused. "Yes, Marianne," He said, confirming my suspicion.

"Okay, perhaps _you_ can tell me what's going on here?" The Ellimist said, "You have writer's block. You're working on an interesting fanfiction known as 'The Superb', correct?" For a moment, I just stood there, stunned. "Uh, how do you know-" "I've been watching you. Yes, even though the series may be over with and done, but you're one of the better writers of cyberspace and time. In order to become a successful author, you must develop your writing skill through fanfiction writing."

I suddenly felt that the others had to be let in on this. "Don't go anywhere." I said. "I'll be right back." "I know," the Ellimist said, calmly smiling at me. This was just getting more and more bizarre, I swear…

I ran back upstairs. "Guys!" I called. They stood at attention. They all looked at me. "Come quick! Outside. The Ellimist is in my backyard." That got their attention. "Think he can tell us what's going on? Because I'm really, really not liking what's going on," Marco complained to Jake. "Lead the way," Jake said to me and I did. I led them back to the old guy, standing there looking all care free.

"Okay, Ellimist is trying to help me with a writing problem," I started to say. Everyone, but the Ellimist, looked at me strangely. I turned to the Ellimist. _Dude, I could use your help here!_ "I have brought you into the dimension known to most as 'The Real World'. Now you all know the truth about yourselves, and here's something you need to know about Marianne. She's a fanfiction writer, and a soon to be author."

Now, I felt myself blush. This whole thing was turning out to be, well, embarrassing! The Animorphs land in a tangled mess in my bookroom, they hold me hostage for a brief period of time, and now the Ellimist was going to tell them about my friggin' writer's block!

I tell you know, folks. The kids weren't happy. "What's that got to do with anything!" Rachel wanted to know. But Jake quickly got what the Ellimist was trying to say. "We've just found out our entire struggle with the Yeerks have been written as books." He pointed an accusing finger at me. I had the feeling this was turning from bad to worse. "She writes about us," he said.

I suddenly wanted to shrink into a hole and die. I felt very, very small right now. Oh, way to go Ellimist!

But Ellimist wasn't done talking. "Marianne needs your help, my fellow Animorphs…" _Since when did I need help?_ "The war with the Yeerks has ended, and the only reason why you still exist is because of the internet, and your readers." I felt myself shrink more, in fear and embarrassment all at once. "There is a twist to be made in your storylines. Just after Tobias gets his morphing power back." I looked for Tobias with my eyes again. He was perched up high in a nearby tree. He stared back down at me with the fierce glare of a hawk. Ellimist kept on explaining as we exchanged a look. It was hard to tell what one other of my favorite characters was thinking, but I guessed anyway. Anger, shock, or just plain freaking out.

"In her story, 'The Superb', she writes that I supposedly saved a young human girl from the Yeerks and raise her to be this…interesting anomaly." I looked at the Ellimist now. He actually _read_ my story? "And, you like it?" I asked him. "It's interesting, and different. I'd like to see how this continues, Marianne. But you are obviously in what is known as 'writer's block'." "And, what's that got to do with us? What can a bunch of animal-transforming, alien butt kicking book characters have to do with this?" Marco, of course. Did I mention he was another favorite of mine?

"You're a very talented writer," Ellimist said. He turned to the rest. "I brought you to her home, because she could use the extra help in getting out of the writer's block."


	5. A Deal Has Been Made

Chapter 5: A Deal Has Been Made

"No," Jake said immediately, speaking for himself and his friends. "We're not going to do this." "Got that right," Rachel agreed, to be blunt. She's been pretty moody with me ever since I decided to investigate the noise up in the bookroom. "I know I wouldn't if I were them," I said, not offended at all. "I'm…flattered that you're a fan of my writings, but…" "You're a very faithful fan to the Animorphs series, and to me," Ellimist said, trying to convince me on something. "I've noticed you've had writing problems not on just 'The Superb' but on other stories as well." I grinned sheepishly. "Uh, yeah… I'm bouncing around on stories again," I said. "And at most times it's hard for me to finish a story. I don't know why…"

Out of everyone, Cassie looked to me not out of anger or shock for once. I could read her thoughts right now as she looked at me the way she did. Must've felt bad about me, and that maybe if they helped me, maybe, just maybe, they could return home. Or, I could be wrong. Maybe she was thinking about something else.

"Okay, we've got nothing to do with her writing problems," Rachel said, butting into the conversation. She was ticked off. I must say this again: No surprise. I mean, Rachel's cool as a character and person, but there were times in the books when she's just so predictable. "I got an idea," she continued, talking brightly and forcing a smile on her face. "Ellimist, how about you send us _home_ and we can all go back to…" She stopped herself short. Question: How can you go back to a life when you discovered that it's been all made up by someone else?

That's a very good question.

"Go back to being just a bunch of story characters?" Marco said helpfully. "And go back to having Rachel and Tom dead?" Jake added, not liking this thought. "Yes, it is possible with Marianne's original character, Laura, they may not die," said the Ellimist. They all looked at me. Now, I was on Rachel's side. "Uh, how about taking them back instead? I can't change their lives. It's already been written," I said, shocked to try and guess what the Ellimist wanted to do.

Jake looked to me, then back to the Ellimist. Cassie was holding his hand, and he squeezed it briefly. Wow, I was starting to feel small again. Fun… "Ellimist, if we…help Marianne, would it change? Would Rachel and Tom still be alive?" Rachel looked like she'd been slapped. I felt everyone's eyes on me. "It's a possibility, Jake," Ellimist said. "But I cannot predict what's going to happen. Only she can." "But even I don't know for sure!" I pleaded. "It's too far ahead in my mind to grasp." I looked to Jake. "I could _try_ to save them, but there's no guarantees." "Oh man, I don't believe this!" Rachel moaned. "Our lives are at stake in the hands of this…fanfiction writer!"

"Way to go, Ellimist," I said to the all powerful one tersely. "You're diminishing my desire to continue 'The Superb'." Jake looked down at the ground, in thought. Cassie just said, "It's worth a try to help, right? Maybe the war would end better." Jake was nodding, considering her thoughts. "I'm with Rachel on this one," Marco said defiantly. "This is dumb. I'd rather go home, try to forget all about this, and watch TV or play some video games." "Two for, two against," Jake said in observation. "Ax?" The young Andalite had been quiet for a while. "Tobias?" Tobias was still in the tree. I guess he was thinking it over too. Cue awkward silence.

"Should I hum the 'Jeopardy theme' while we wait?" I wondered impatiently. True, it's what I sometimes did while trying to be patient on anything. I was considering on humming the all too familiar tune right about now. I didn't like being stuck in the middle of controlling the Animorphs lives. Hm, maybe I should just quit while I was ahead…

-(I go with Prince Jake,)- Ax said. -(But I must ask you to repeat when this story of yours takes place.)- He was asking _me_ that. I shuffled my feet together. "Um, sometime in between books thirteen and fourteen. Tobias had recently got his morphing powers back, and there's the development of the free Hork-Bajir colony." -(So, it is too late to save my brother?)- "Afraid so," I said, feeling the guilt hit me like a ton of bricks. "Sorry, Ax." He scraped a hoof on the sand in my backyard. To me, it seemed that he didn't like that answer.

I looked to Tobias. It was his time to vote. -(Okay,)- he began, after not saying anything for quite some time. -(What's in it for us if we agreed to help her get out of the writer's block, however we may do it?)- Ellimist provided the answer. "Ding, ding! Tell us what we win if we did the stupid deal, Johnny!" chimed Marco. "If you agree and get her out of the writer's block, then you'll be sent as to where you were, with no memories of this." Ellimist turned to me. "And I would get my story going," I said. "Yes," he agreed. "And if we _don't_ agree," Rachel pressed. "Then, you'll either be stuck in this reality…" Ellimist gave us a dramatic pause, and then said, "Or you could vanish into nothing, and be erased into existence. Either way, nothing would change. Not really. Rachel and Tom would still be dead."

Rachel looked to me. "I'm changing my vote," she said. "I don't want to be dead." I smiled a crooked smile, even though I'm still going through my annoying Bell's Palsy phase. (A strange, strange virus in which the side of one's face becomes paralyzed. Chill. I'm feeling much better than when I first had it.) I felt like I was going to go hysterical for a second. To burst out laughing. As Marco would say: this was insane!

Marco shook his head. "How long is this going to take?" He sounded very annoyed, but seemed like he was up for the deal as well. "As long as needed until she has motivation," Ellimist said. "It's insane, but I'm willing to deal with it. It's not as bad as anything else that we've been through," Marco said.

Everyone looked to me. "What?" I demanded, confused. Everyone agreed to do it… Well, I didn't come up with a decision… "You're letting me vote?" "It's only fair that you have your say in this," Jake said. "You look like you're not thrilled about this as much as we are," Cassie agreed. I nodded. "At least you guys aren't treating me like a prisoner anymore," I said.

For a moment, I thought of this. Wow, I had the chance to make the Yeerk war turn out better. With my original character in place, anything could happen. And at the same time, I could really get the chance to know the Animorphs.

"How often do I get chances like this?" I asked, as a rhetorical question. I answered my question a split second later. "Slim to none." I started feeling goosebumps. I had to admit, this was going to be cool… I showed a small grin, and turned to the Ellimist. "Deal."


	6. Four More People to Care For

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I guess it doesn't really matter how many reviews I get. I'm mainly doing this for my own amusement. And I'm just putting this up to in case any curious readers want to see.

Hehe, I like chapters six and seven. Good silly stuff! XD

Chapter 6: Four More People to Care For

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Cassie

The Ellimist had left shortly afterwards. The rest of us stood around. Jake suggested Ax to morph into his human body, since we were outdoors. There wasn't worry of any Yeerks around us, but if normal people saw Ax, they'd run away screaming. Possibly worse.

"So, do we get started right away?" I asked, curiously. The deal was to give Marianne some motivation, or inspiration in order to write out our lives better. Then we could return to where we came from, and have no memory of all this. What else could we do? Go back to a life, a future that scared Jake to death? A life that scared me as much?

"So, the Ellimist says you write pretty good at writing," Marco recalled, rubbing a hand over his face. "I'm not brilliant at it, so how are we supposed to help?" Marianne shrugged her shoulders, perplexed as he was. "Well, you don't have to give me ideas directly. And we don't have to start right away." She smiled. "We could just…have some fun. Maybe live a little. Get to know each other a bit. It might be a while before I get anything into my mind's eye."

Marianne, for the first time, had seen one of us morph. Not reading about it in the books. Actually seeing it with her own eyes. "Oh…my. That's…disturbing," the fanfiction writer said as she stared, eyes wide in shock, watching Ax's two front legs were sucked into his chest. SCHLOOP! A few of his fingers mended together to form five fingers on each of his hands. Yes, I had to agree with Marianne. Morphing is something that we humans will never get used to. I'm not even sure if Ax is used to morphing, but I know the rest of us weren't.

All of us, but Tobias (who wanted to hunt down a mouse or something for food) went back inside Marianne's home. Into the basement area. It was sort of big, but mostly filled with these adorable little cement statues, there was an open tool box up ahead, beneath a single light bulb that hung from the ceiling. "I wonder what time it is," Marianne wondered out loud as we followed her to the living room. "Like Tobias, I'm starting to get a little hungry myself." "It is a little past noon," Ax informed. "Nooooooon-nuh. Neeeeewwwwn-uh?"

I looked back to the pile of books that had our faces on them, changing into the animals we acquired on the covers. They were strewn about in the living room, on the floor or on the couches. We left them like that in a hurry to go see the Ellimist. I had no idea… None of us did. Marianne didn't even know we were _real. _Until now.

"Oh, and if you people wish to help me," Marianne began. "I just have something to say." "Well, say it already!" Rachel said. "Rachel, don't," I told her. "None of us are exactly happy to be in this situation, so let's make the best of this, okay?" She calmed down once I was done talking. "I forgive you, for what you did," Marianne said, and then held up a hand like a crossing guard in the middle of a street, hand signaling some pedestrians to halt. "No, there's no need to start apologizing. I totally understand all the possible reasons behind your actions. Even though I'm still a little sore…"

"Cool," Marco cut her off in mid-sentence, moving past her to go into the little kitchen. "No harm done then. So, what's for lunch?" Marianne glared at the back of his head. I felt myself feeling the same way. She willingly decides to help all of us, and welcome us into her home. Rachel and Marco were just being rude. I understood how my two friends felt too. So I didn't say anything.

Marianne was just like any other human being, living in any other normal looking house. I mean, her family's kitchen was no more bigger than my family's. There was a sink full of dirty dishes. I saw one of Marianne's black cats lying on the floor. I noticed she had two of them, and that they were both wearing white flea collars. Poor things. The house must've been crawling with the nasty little bugs. I've morphed a flea before, and being one is not quite pleasant. Of course, Marianne would have to know that, because she's read all the books about us, right?

Marco was poking his head into Marianne's refrigerator, looking for anything edible to eat. "Hm," Marianne said, in thought. "Maybe we could have some of these…" Marco was looking in the lower part of the fridge, while Marianne was opening the freezer door. He closed the larger door of the two. Marianne pulled out something, and showed it to us. From the package, it looked like some sort of burrito. "What is that? That-tuh? Is it some kind of food?" Ax wondered. "Yeah, and I'm wondering if these are microwavable," she replied. Rachel dug into the big package and pulled out some more of the frozen burritos. "Cool, looks like there's plenty for all of us." Marianne was at the cutting board by the fridge, doing her best to rip one of the small packages open.

Then she got out a paper plate and placed both burrito and plate into the microwave. Closing the door, her right hand hovered over the buttons. "What is that device?" Ax asked. "It's a microwave, Ax-man," Marco explained. "You put food into it, set the timer, and it'll heat it up. It beeps to let you know when it's done." "Ah, very primitive," Ax commented. Being the Andalite he was, he'd always have to let us know every once in a while how his race's technology is more superior than ours. Sometimes Ax does that to be funny. Or to try to be funny. He has a very dry sense of humor.

"So, do you live alone?" I asked Marianne. I had to be sure. It may take some time, so… "Well, my mom and dad are at work. My mom's a substitute teacher, and my dad's a teacher." "So, it's four more mouths to feed," Marco calculated effortlessly. "Yeah, and I'll have to pitch in and go broke to help you guys get some clothes," Marianne groaned. "But I don't mind all that much. It's worth it." "I'm sorry," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it," she countered. "I'm a big saver, and I'm sure I won't go entirely broke." "How much money do you have?" Jake asked. "I know I at least have one hundred stored in my wallet," Marianne said, and trailed off on the answer.

"Jeez!" Marco said, surprised. "That's _way_ more than any of us would have, and you're worried about going broke?" "It still could be very expensive. A few days' worth of clothing could cost a lot of money," Rachel added helpfully. Back in our town, she's like the shopping queen. She knows all the sales at every clothing at department store. It's like she owns the mall.

"Okay," Marianne said, getting our attention. "Put the burritos in vertically for two minutes, turn it sideways, and let it heat up again for about one minute. Does that sound good?" "Yeah, that sounds reasonable," Marco said, nodding. Marianne heated up her burrito first. I decided to help out by getting the silverware. Some of it had to be scrubbed and rinsed clean. There weren't enough clean knives and forks in the drawer and in the tub thing to the right of the sink.


	7. Food and Drinks

Chapter 7: Food and Drinks

****

Jake

Each of us decided to help Marianne out. Marianne placed in the first burrito into the microwave, and we all decided to let her have that one. Cassie got out the silverware, cleaning some of them by the sink, and then drying them off with a small hand towel. Rachel and I helped to clear off the table. Ax wanted more than one burrito, and the rest of us were debating on how many he was allowed to have.

Andalites don't have mouths like humans do. They run along the grass, and absorb the nutrients with their hooves. And Ax in human form can be pretty dangerous. We were _never_ let that boy around chocolate. His most favorite snack would be cinnamon buns. As a matter of fact, he was asking, "Marianne, do you have any cinnamon buns? Buns-zuh?" "Nope, but there's popcorn, pretzels, chips, cookies… Maybe some ice cream…" Marianne informed. "Ax, you can only have some of those," Cassie told him gently. "Or else there won't be enough for all of us. So we have to share." "I understand. Unnnnderrrrrrstannnnd-duh. Hm, I like the 'D' and 'N' sounds," Ax said. "Now, understand Ax, unnnnnderrrrrstannnnd-duh Ax," Rachel said, rolling her eyes. "You can only have three burritos and that's it." "Yes, I know," he said calmly.

Marianne helped Cassie set the table. Five sets of knives and forks, with five paper plates. Marco found where the cupboard in which the medium and large sized cups were. I took a look in the fridge to see if there was anything to drink besides tap water. "We've got juice, milk, tea…" I called over the low hum of the microwave. "And there's tap water too." "Tea for me, I guess," Marianne said. "Tea? TEEEEE?" Ax quirked. "Okay," I said, grabbing the tannish drink container filled with the homemade tea, and setting it onto the wooden cutting board. "What kind of juice?" Cassie asked me, peering over my shoulder to look in the fridge. "Hm, orange tangerine," I confirmed, pulling the plastic container filled with the yellow orange liquid. "Okay, I'll have some of that," Cassie said. "No soda?" Marco pondered, coming back into the kitchen. "Hey, Marianne," I called to her. "Are your folks health nuts or something?" "No, we just don't have any soda at this time. Sorry man," Marianne said to Marco and me. "I'll have some of the orange juice stuff," Rachel called from the dining area.

Marianne decided to help me with the drinks. "Okay, tea for Ax and me." "I guess I'll have some tea too," I sighed. It was really too bad that there wasn't any Coke or Pepsi. "No wait," Rachel called from the dining area. "There's a big bottle of Diet Pepsi here on the table!" "Good enough for me," I said, quickly changing my decision. "That's actually what my dad usually has at dinnertime," Marianne said for all of us to know, and opened the freezer. She pulled out one of the white ice trays.

"I'll have some of that too," Marco said. "Okie doke," Marianne chimed, putting two ice cubes into a couple of the glasses. As soon as she was done, she walked off to get the big two liter bottle of Diet Pepsi, I guess. I filled two cups with some tea, and three more with some juice. I was trying to remember what everyone wanted. _Ax and Marianne: Tea. Marco and me: Diet Pepsi. Cassie and Rachel: Orange-Tangerine Juice…_

__

Beeeeep! The first two minutes of Marianne's burrito was done. I opened the little door, turned the plate so it was horizontal, and set the timer for one minute as Marco and Marianne had decided on. "Oh wait, we need an extra chair," I head Marianne say. "I'll get it." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her walk past me down the hall. There were two ways into the kitchen. One from the hall, and the other from where the dining area. I say area because the dining room and living room were one big room. It was just like that at my house.

I had finished with all of the drinks by the time Marianne came back. It was sort of a bigger chair than the other four, which rotated and were on wheels. Comfortable enough for most of us to sit in. "Oh look, a throne," Marco joked, looking at the big chair, and pretended to get up. "That would be for me." Most of us laughed as Rachel tried to take a swing at him. "Oh, so you want to be queen of the Animorphs, is that right Xena?" "Marco. Shut up." "I should have seen that coming," Marco said furthermore. Rachel tried to hit him again. Marianne and Cassie shook their heads in amusement, laughing. I just grinned, rolling my eyes. No matter where we were, it was good to know Marco was being Marco, and Rachel was being Rachel. "Behave kids, or else there's no dessert," Marianne joked, causing most of us to giggle some more. Ax was the only one not laughing. It's hard to understand Andalite humor.

__

Beeeeep! Marianne's burrito was done. I was still standing. "I'll put in Ax's burritos," I offered, since I was still standing. The rest were about to sit down. Ax decided to sit in the big chair. "Bore-reet-toes," Ax said, trying to sound out the word.


	8. Learning About the Ally

****

So the Animorphs and Ax are going to find out some details about "The Superb".

Chapter 8: Learning About the Ally

****

Tobias

Even though there were only small patches of woods around Marianne's neighborhood, there were plenty of prey. But this area was no where _near_ my territory. So I had to make my kill, then haul my feathered butt outta there. It was a nice, easy hunt. There were plenty of mice to go around. I didn't see any other hawks or eagles, but I was sure I saw at least one crow.

Crows and jays are real jerks. They're like the gangsters of the bird world. I was lucky to make it out of there before that big black crow decided to caw (heh heh, call, caw, same thing) over to his buddies to get me. Whew. Believe me, life as a bird of prey can be very hard sometimes.

Anyway, I used the nice cool breeze of a head wind and then found myself a thermal to fly back to Marianne's house. I didn't go very far in my hunting, actually. I fluttered to the deck, and looked through the window in front of me. I saw Rachel get up to open the doors for me. There was a screen door, and then a wooden door. Nothing out of the usual. It was just a normal suburban home like any other I've been to. It sort of reminded me of Rachel's house, for I go there often.

I found everyone else sitting at a table as I perched on the back of the brown recliner chair. I didn't have to dig my talons very far because the perch was very soft. There was a big chair, bigger than the other smaller brownish ones at the dining table, and Ax was sitting in it as his disturbingly attractive human form. He did this form in combination of Marco's, Rachel's, Jake's, and Cassie's DNA. He would have done so with me if I hadn't become a _nothlit_. It's an Andalite term for someone who's trapped in animal form.

"Hey Tobias," Marianne greeted me, showing me a kind smile. "You didn't have any trouble finding anything to eat, did ya?" -(Nope, no trouble at all. The woods around where you live has prey all over the place. Squirrels, mice, shrews…)- "Stop it Tobias. You'll spoil my appetite," Marco teased. I ignored that remark.

That's Marco for you, always making up jokes. He makes fun of me often, because for all I know, I sometimes give him the creeps, for me being me.

In the background, I heard the low hum of a microwave, coming from somewhere in the kitchen. -(What's cookin' guys?)- "Burritos," Jake simply said. "Ax's to be exact." -(Ah,)- I said, understanding. I knew how dangerous the Ax-man was around food. How long was it since I had a burrito? Too long. I hardly remember what it tastes like now. Sure, I could go human and try one, but I was full. The nice, plump mouse I ate filled me up.

__

Beeeeep! The microwave signaled Ax's food was ready. Jake, closest to the kitchen, got up to bring them out. "So, what's this story of yours about, since we're supposed to be inspiring you in some way," Marco said, eager to get this whole deal over with. I silently agreed with him. I mean, Marianne wasn't a bad person or anything. I felt kind of bad now for us tying her up and everything. But I didn't really want to do this deal. Not really, but I had no choice, if I wanted the Earth-Yeerk war in our dimension (yeah, I barely accepted the fact that I was made up by someone else) to turn out better. Besides, we probably weren't going to remember Marianne or any of this when our job was done. That's what the Ellimist said, but you can never be totally sure. He plays tricks on people, like it's some kind of game. He doesn't fully do what is requested. I know that by experience. You probably know about that already, so I won't explain.

The only big problem was, none of us knew how long we were going to have to stay with Marianne.

"Well," Marianne began. "Like I said, 'The Superb' takes place between when you guys helped form the free Hork-Bajir colony, and Zone 91. Jake," Marianne pointed to Jake. "gets a strange E-mail. My original character's email. A subtle approach for you guys to meet her at Cassie's barn in the morning the next day…" She sawed off a piece of her burrito with a knife and fork, chewed, and swallowed.

"My character's name is Laura. She's this human anomaly raised by the Ellimist-" -(What? The Ellimist wouldn't do that, would he?)- I interrupted. Everyone else shrugged their shoulders, including Marianne. "Just go with it, okay?" Marianne said to me. -(Alright… Sorry, go on.)- "Thank you," she said, calm. "Yeah, so she's raised by the Ellimist ever since she was about six years old, when her parents were vaporized and killed by a Yeerk Dracon Beam-" "Yeerk…" Ax hissed in a low hatred. Marianne paused, and looked down as her half eaten burrito, as if in thought. "The way I imagine it is in a busy city, it's dark cloudy and rainy in…someplace like New York, yeah…"

Rachel huffed an annoyed sigh. I knew how she felt. This whole deal seemed ridiculous, but we had to go with it anyway. Marianne wasn't not entirely thrilled about this either. Later on during that day I found out she probably had to go broke because of the clothes shopping and stuff for Jake, Marco, Cassie, and Rachel.

But at least this fanfiction author seemed to know what she was writing about. So far, about this Laura "character" who was going to join us… No, I felt sick inside. I was going to meet this character in my home dimension, wasn't I? And already I knew from the writer's mouth about what happened to that poor girl's parents. Was I going to remember this whenever Marianne got the motivation to get back to her story?

"Oh no…that poor kid," Cassie said, feeling similar to how I felt inside. She frowned and looked downward towards her feet. "Yeah, I know, really tragic, but the good side to this is: you guys will be like her new family," Marianne explained. She turned to Jake, who sat down again after putting in another burrito. "Whose burrito is cooking?" Marco asked. "I get dibs on the next one," Rachel said quickly, watching Marianne eat. Marco threw up his hand in defeat.

"Jake, you and Laura have something very big in common." "And what's that?" Jake demanded, listening, interested. "You both encounter Crayak in your dreams every now and then. And you still haven't told anyone about it. She knows this, and leaves it up to you to tell the group." "Oh, man," Jake moaned. "Yeah, and Marco," Marco sat up straight, as if he were caught sleeping in class. "You find out what Jake is hiding eventually. You know, being best buds and all." Rachel smiled. "I think I'm going to like this," she said. "Yup, I have all of you pretty much in character," Marianne replied, wearing a big smile.

"Rachel, you and Laura don't get along very well at first." "Oh? Why is that?" Rachel wondered, also interested in hearing about this story too. "Well, you stick up for Tobias, right? And you've asked Laura how come she couldn't just wipe out all the Yeerks on Earth by thinking about it. She can't."


	9. Quite an Imagination the Writer Has

Chapter 9: Quite an Imagination the Writer Has

****

Rachel

I sat there, taken back. This girl knew all about us, no doubt. She indeed must have read all the books about us. And now, I was confused. Everyone was. "Oh, I almost forgot, she has quite unique abilities. At the age of twelve, the Ellimist had given Laura some of his power so that she could survive on her own, but she was given this one strict rule: she can't do too much to help out Earth. Such as annihilating the entire Yeerk population on Earth in a snap. It would be against the rules, and Crayak would know about it. See, Crayak wants Laura on his side." "Ohhh," I said, getting it. I understood. "I can see why I would be mad." -(I'd be mad about it too, if Laura _does_ have the capability to do such a thing,)- said Tobias in thought speech. Whenever Jake, Marco, Cassie, and I are in morph, we can do thought speak. Tobias and Ax can do it twenty-four-seven.

"I know, which is why you weren't 'thrilled' about Laura joining in at first," Marianne provided. I was impressed. For her to weave her writer's wand, I got the feeling that she would write out some good stories. "Tobias, you and Laura get into a harsh discussion, in the air. Jake, you're in the air with them, for Tobias's support," Marianne said. Jake nodded, considering. -(Really?)- Tobias said, surprised.

Truly, this was beyond weird. I mean, Marianne was telling us about our new future in this Yeerk war! And we're sitting around, not freaked out much, but curious and interested. Whatever, just as long as I don't end up dead, like I read about in the last book about us. Jake obviously doesn't want the end of the war to be like that either. Who wouldn't?

"Yeah, you're wondering why Laura can't help you out. Since you wanted to be human again in book thirteen…" Marianne explained to Tobias. "She can only do little stuff without no one noticing much. Especially Crayak. And if she does do too much, other galaxies could fall out of balance. Important rules will be broken, and Laura would have the powers taken away, never to visit in and out of Earth again." "You're good," I said, still impressed. "I think I trust you. You've got us down pretty good, and everything you're telling us seems to make sense. And the possible twists!" "Yeah, and it's all complicated at the same time," Marco moaned.

Marco's just a big baby at times. He complains the whole time whenever we're on missions. Sometimes he really grinds my nerves.

"I mean, why can't you just put down: And so Laura helped the Animorphs by making Crayak and all the baddies disappear into oblivion. And they all lived happily ever after. The end?" Marco, of course. Marianne laughed. We all laughed, thinking it was kind of funny. "It wouldn't be as good," our writer replied. "It would suck and be very, very short." "And to the point," Marco piped up. "Marco? Shut up," I said. _Beeeeep!_ Cool. My lunch was ready. I went up to go get it, and came right back. "Dibs," Marco said, while I prepared the next burrito. Cassie shrugged and smiled, not bothered by that. "Go on ahead Marco. I can wait just a little longer."

"Well, in reality, nothing's that easy. Especially when it comes to your lives," Marianne said. "So I can't whip up anything like that. Sorry… Hm, I could do it as a parody maybe, and write 'Marco's version of The Superb' or I could let you write it, but I doubt that'll actually happen." She laughed. "I'm sure Marco would love that," Jake said. "You'd actually let me write something like that?" Marco asked, his eyes glowing with excitement. We all laughed, including Marco. "Sure, if you want," Marianne said in mid-laugh. "I could even put it on fanfiction-dot-net too. Among my other stories." She shook her head in amusement, possibly glad about that possibility. "And I'd print my story out too once I'm done, and take it with me back home as a souvenir," Marco said cooly, relaxing his chair, hands behind his head.

I took the first bite of the burrito. "Mmmm…pretty good," I said, and continued eating.

"Then, if our memories are erased of all this, will Marco even remember writing it?" Jake wondered. "Or even, will the Ellimist let Marco keep his little story?" That made us all think about that for a moment. Marianne shrugged. "I dunno," she said. "Might as well wait and see."

Ax the whole time, was stuffing his face, but at the same time he was paying attention. There was cheese and sauce all over his face though. It made some of us laugh. I handed Ax a paper towel. As he swallowed the last of the third burrito, he tried to eat the paper towel too! "No, you're supposed to wipe your face with that," Jake told him.

Soon, Cassie got her lunch and we ate, as we listened to Marianne's future ideas. "I was thinking sometime in a future story, Laura could get sick. Really sick." "Oh, you're an evil writer, aren't you?" I smirked. "At times, I can be," Marianne said, smirking back. "Say, after lunch, I'll show you some of the stuff I wrote." "Sounds good," Jake said, nodding. "That way we have an idea on how you write." -(Who's narrating the story though? Usually it begins as 'My name is Jake', or 'My name is Cassie' or whoever. And then 'I can't tell you my last name'.)- "Jake is narrating, Tobias," Marianne said. "You'll see, once we're done with lunch and stuff."


End file.
